Somatic Experiencing – for shock trauma & chronic pain/illness

What is Somatic Experiencing® (SE)?
Somatic Experiencing® is a body-awareness approach to trauma being taught throughout the world. It is the result of over forty years of observation, research, and hands-on development by Dr. Peter Levine. Based upon the realization that human beings have an innate ability to overcome the effects of trauma, Somatic Experiencing has touched the lives of many thousands. SE® restores self-regulation, and returns a sense of aliveness, relaxation and wholeness to traumatized individuals who have had these precious gifts taken away. Peter has applied his work to combat veterans, rape survivors, Holocaust survivors, auto accident and post surgical trauma, chronic pain sufferers, and even to infants after suffering traumatic births.

“I give thanks for help unknown, already on its way.” — Peter Levine, in one of the exercises on the CD from his book Healing Trauma A Pioneering Program for Restoring the Wisdom of Your Body

For a description with helpful diagrams of how healthy, settled nervous systems work, what dysregulated, traumatized nervous systems do and how to get back to settled calm see “SE Maps for Recovery: SE Maps for recovery (It may take a while to download – there are several diagrams.) Some of these diagrams come from traumahealing.com/somatic-experiencing/index.html .

“We could say that somatic work intends to harness the plasticity of the brain and nervous system, that it seeks to stimulate dendritic growth and neural connectivity by supporting the biological completion of developmental tasks and disruptive traumatic events.” — Aline LaPierre

Peter’s latest book: In an Unspoken Voice: How the Body Releases Trauma and Restores Goodness offers a description of how trauma and distress impact the G-I system. Learning to Understand the Language of the Gut is based on his description of based on “Tummy Talk” in Chapter 6, begining p.120.

Recognizing, understanding and healing early developmental challenges or trauma may be crucial for deeper healing of major health syndromes like chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, IBS, migraines and autoimmune disease: Please see Illness and Early Trauma/Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) on this website: lelaccarney.com/early-traumaadverse-childhood-experiences-aces/

Somatic Experiencing for chronic disease and chronic pain Healing Trauma Through the Body: The Way in is the Way Out www.psychotherapy.net/article/healing-trauma-somatic An in-depth case study working with food sensitivities, digestive disturbances, insomnia and anxiety. by Ariel Giarretto

Freedom from Pain: Discover Your Body’s Power to Overcome Physical Pain by Peter A. Levine and Maggie Phillips “Whether you’re seeking to begin a self-care strategy or amplify your current treatment program, Freedom from Pain will provide you with proven tools to help you experience long-term relief.”

Book and CD stand-alone CD version

Informed by their founding work in the Somatic Experiencing® process and unique insights gleaned from decades of clinical success, Drs. Levine and Phillips will show you how to:

Calm the body’s overreactive “fight” response to pain

Release the fear, frustration, and depression intensified by prior traumas, and build inner resilience and self-regulation

Relieve pain caused by the aftermath of injuries, surgical procedures, joint and muscle conditions, migraines, and other challenges

The Sensation Game:sensation-game-se for building self-regulation skills in children and teens who have experienced a significant trauma and may feel shut down, “disconnected” or numb. It helps children and families feel more connected ~ to their own nervous systems, to each other, and to the world around them.